Solving Multi-Step Equations Reference Guide (Doodle Note Study Sheet)
This visual study guide / poster allows students to build a doodle note, then keep it to use as a reference for solving multi step equations with variables on one or both sides.
When students color or doodle in math class, it activates both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. There are proven benefits of this cross-lateral brain activity:
- new learning
- relaxation (less math anxiety)
- visual connections
- better memory & retention of the content!
Students fill in the sheets, answer the questions, and color, doodle or embellish. Then, they can use it as a study guide later on. Graphic doodle and sketch notes take full advantage of Dual Coding Theory (the way brains process visual and linguistic information) to maximize retention.
Content includes:
- rewriting or converting parts of the equation before beginning
- one step of work at a time, keeping the goal in mind
- distributing and combining like terms
- solving for a variable (isolating the variable)
- using inverse operations
- order of operations when un-doing to move from one side to the other
- checking solutions
- a bonus page with 2 practice problems
*This does include negative numbers and fractions / decimals within the equations, but only one has one variable per equation.
Check out the preview images for more detail about this item and the research behind it.
2 pages are included, plus answer keys, samples, and info.
Visual note taking strategies like sketch notes or doodle notes are based on dual coding theory. When we can blend the text input with graphic/visual input, the student brain processes the information differently and can more easily convert the new learning into long-term memory.
This strategy also integrates the left and right hemispheres of the brain to increase focus, learning, and retention!
____________________________________________________________________________________
Reviews from other teachers:
-This is an amazing tool for my son who dislikes math. The engaging and visual worksheets make math enjoyable...well tolerable for him while helping him practice and maintain skills.
-This was a nice set of notes to review solving equations with kids I have in a summer enrichment class.
-I used this resource with a student who needed more help. The student responds better with adding a creative twist to things. This really helped him make connections.
-This was something I wish I found when I was teaching my students multi-step equations. It was laid out very easy and the two practice equations on the back were hard, but the way it was broken down made it less overwhelming. I brought this out as a review day with my students because solving equations is never going away and I didn't want them to forget how to solve them or what to do first, so it was a good review.
-Used this in summer school to review concepts as students will be moving into Algebra next year. Great resource students were actively engaged and enjoyed to activity. Thank you for creating.